What changes on October 16
Google has updated its privacy policy with a change concerning how data stored in its services can be used for advertising. According to The Verge, citing a report by Android Authority, the new version of the terms adds an exception to the promise not to use content from Drive, Gmail and Google Photos for personalized ads. The previous wording excluded this possibility; the version in force from October 16 specifies that the exclusion does not apply if the user chooses to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized advertising.
The change is therefore not a general green light for personal data, but a condition tied to a user's choice. The point concerns those who connect Gmail, Drive or Photos to the Personal Intelligence feature, which allows search tools and AI modes to know the user better in order to offer more relevant answers and recommendations. By activating that connection, according to the new policy, that content can also enter ad personalization.
What remains excluded and how to protect yourself
The text reported by the source limits the scope of the update. Advertisers do not gain access to data from Drive, Gmail and Google Photos or to information that directly identifies the person, such as name or email address. Google also states that it does not show ads based on sensitive categories, including race, sexual orientation, religion and health. The same policy explains that, depending on settings, personalized ads may appear based on interests, activity or personalized content from Google services, with the example of a search for mountain bikes that can lead to sports equipment advertising on YouTube.
For those who do not want their data to feed targeted ads, the source indicates two paths: disconnect individual applications from the search Personal Intelligence features, or disable personalized recommendations entirely from the personalization settings page for search services. These are controls already provided by the settings, but their relevance grows because the link between personal data and advertising is now explicitly contemplated in the terms.
Why it matters and what remains open
The change is significant because it affects a boundary that Google had until now presented as clear-cut: email, cloud and photo content were not supposed to serve personalized advertising. The exception introduced links two functions that the user perceives as distinct—AI-based personalized assistance and advertising—and does so through the consent given when the services are connected. The available material does not clarify how many users have enabled Personal Intelligence or which search tools are affected beyond those cited, and it does not indicate whether Google has communicated the change to users or provided a specific notice. It is also not specified whether the exception applies only to new connections or also to those already active.
It therefore remains to verify the actual practical scope of the update, the number of people involved and how the user is informed. The source merely documents the text of the new terms and the available settings; on these points, further direct confirmation from the company will be needed.
